


Shades of Grey

by Daegaer



Series: Once and Future [3]
Category: Dark Is Rising Sequence - Susan Cooper, Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crossover, Dark, Demons, Gen, Old One, light - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-10-30
Updated: 2003-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-05 14:05:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/407268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will and Bran meet after a long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shades of Grey

Bran was not sure what he had become. He looked the same age as Crowley now, but would soon enough look older.

"You don't want to live forever," Crowley laughed. "Trust me, you don't."

Even so, Bran looked younger than his age. 

Doing what Crowley wanted was easy, and earned him all the payment he wanted. Crowley would smile at him, and take him for a meal, and bend the whole awful weight of his attention onto him. At those times Bran felt like the centre of the world, like he was truly valued. He was never servile, never looked down and said "Master" as did some of Crowley's people. He'd seen how Crowley struggled not to laugh at them.

He was treated generously, although he never thought of it as wages - he had money enough for his own and his father's needs. He had a house in London. He had his long-lasting youth. He'd even had his value confirmed by a concerted effort to headhunt him for the other side. He had nothing against the angel's people, but they were a bit too sweet for his taste.

When he bothered to think about it, he knew Crowley was -- no angel. He supposed he himself had become a villain, but Crowley never asked him to do anything bad. He would make suggestions, or mild requests, and Bran could never see the harm in them. Some of the things were good, and brought only happiness.

"That girl," Crowley said once, as they sat in a cafe. "I want you to go out with her."

"What do you mean?" Bran asked, looking dubiously at the girl. She was very pretty, and he didn't rate his chances too highly.

"You know, take her to dinner, take her dancing, make love to her. Be her boyfriend, that's all."

He'd been with Joanne for almost three years. They'd parted amicably, and still stayed in contact. He never knew what Crowley had wanted there. Perhaps the other side had wanted her to do something and he'd provided a distraction. Perhaps Crowley had been doing him a favour. In either case he didn't see that he'd done anything wrong.

And now it seemed the world had almost ended. Bran supposed there'd been a lucky escape, seeing as the sun still shone and life went on. There was some sort of summit, though, with Crowley and the angel feeding ducks and cheerfully talking to each other. Bran wasn't sure if he believed in their enmity. A hand tapped his shoulder.

"Bran? Bran Davies?"

"Good day to you, Will Stanton," he said, turning round. "It's been a while."

Will looked no older than himself. He smiled and looked as if he wished he'd not spoken.

"You're in London these days? How's your Dad?"

"He's fine. I work here. Here and there. And you, Will? What have you been up to?"

Will looked vague.

"This and that."

Bran heard quick, light footsteps coming near. Will looked over his shoulder, and looked furious. He raised a hand full of light, and Bran slapped it down.

"Come on, Bran, we're going," Crowley said heedlessly.

"You're with _that?_ Do you know what that is?" Will said.

Bran looked over to where Crowley was watching them. He didn't gesture, didn't call again, just stood patiently waiting.

"That's one of the Dark, Bran," Will said. "That's nothing you want to be with. Come away, I'll make sure you're safe."

Bran raised his pale eyebrows. 

"That's a first, Will _bach_. But where were you all those years till now? I know who my friends are."

"Don't be a fool," Will yelled as Bran took another step away. "Are you so stupid you're taken in by a smile covering corruption?"

Bran's breath grew short as he remembered the _dewin_ folk leaving him to be a lonely freak, taking his memories and his achievements away. Crowley had given him everything back again, and more besides. He walked fast to Crowley's side.

"Good. Good lad," Crowley said, putting an arm round his shoulders.

"Let him go, you're destroying him," Will yelled.

"I've saved him," Crowley called out. "I could save you too, if you'd let me."

Bran was surprised to hear the pity in his voice. He wanted Crowley to strike Will down, to make him pay for what he was. 

"I am of the Light. The Dark cannot stand against the Light," Will shouted.

"Dark, Light - the world isn't monochrome," Crowley said. "Look around you, learn to see in colour. And don't confuse me with your penny-ante forces, child. I was around long before they were. Come on, Bran."

He led Bran out of the park. 

Looking over his shoulder, Bran could see Will was crying.


End file.
